Rise of the Guardians 2

Chapter 34

There was a silence for a long while after I finished. Punz was wiping tears from her eye as was I. Merida, being the tough girl that she is, didn't cry, but her face was pale and seemed unable to speak. Hiccup was silent and thoughtful. Even Jack was being serious for once, he was frowning and was looking off in the distance.

"I'm so sorry" Punz whispered, finally breaking the silence.

"It's alright, Punz" I said "I came to terms with it a long time ago"

"How come he's being made a Guardian" Jack said abruptly "He caused so much damage, how come he's being made Spirit of Spring?"

"MIM chooses Spirits with important centers for Guardians." I said quietly "We need to trust his judgment. And Spring is the season where everything is brought back to life. He's done that very well here. He's finally put my last gift to use."

"What was your last gift" Merida asked

"One of the last truffula seeds. I knew that if I didn't save one then, It would be too late after everything had been destroyed and the valley would have had no hope at all of recovering." I stood up "We need to get going"

"Are you sure you want to come with us" Hiccup asked "You could stay here"

"Thanks Hiccup, but I'm going to have to face him sometime" I said "I don't think we should split up anyway." I pointed to a crooked white building in the distance. "That way."

We trekked there in silence which suited me fine. I was so nervous that I felt if I opened my mouth again I was going to vomit. We reached to building and in the front by a broken down gate, was a lamp post with a sign that read 'The Street of the Lifted Lorax'.

We walked up to front door and on it was a lopsided label that had 'The Once-ler in brass letters written on it. I steeled my nerves, raised my hand and rang the doorbell. Immediately the door flipped around horizontally and of it was a contraption made up of a hammer, string and scissors. The scissors cut the string, which made the hammer push down on the loose floorboard I was on, tossing me up in the air.

"What the-" I yelled but before I could reacted a metal claw grabbed me by the ankle. "Ahh!" This caused Jack, Merida and Hiccup to burst into laughter and even Punz was fighting a smile. "Guys this isn't funny"

I was just about ready to blast the stupid claw to bits with my staff when a voice stopped me cold.

"Breeze?"

I turned toward the voice that was both familiar and not at the same time time. There was a window up at the level that I was at, that had once been boarded up. In that window stood an unfamiliar old man, balding with a huge mustache. But I knew those blue eyes.

People say that eyes are windows to the soul, and reflected in his I could see a man, 50 years younger with a head of black hair, a smile on his face, and a carefree air about him. I smiled

"Hello, Once" I said